Hempstead, NY – Hofstra senior Eli Pemberton scored 23 points to lead four Pride players in double figures but Richard Washington tallied 23 points and Craig LeCesne added 19 to lead four Spartans in double-figures as San Jose State defeated Hofstra, 79-71, in the season opener at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex Wednesday night.

In addition to Pemberton's 23 points, Hofstra received 13 points from senior Desure Buie (and seven assists) and junior Jalen Ray and 12 points from senior Tareq Coburn. Junior Isaac Kante had eight points and 11 rebounds for the Pride who shot 42.6 percent from the field.

In addition to Washington who had 16 of his 23 in the second half, and LeCesne, who had 11 of his 19 in the second period, San Jose received 13 points and eight rebounds from Seneca Knight and 10 points from Brae Ivey. The Spartans shot 47 percent from the field.
 
Despite five point leads by each team in the period, the first half was as even a half as could be with 12 lead changes and one tied score in the first 20 minutes. The Pride tallied the first five points of the contest in the first minute before the Spartans went on a 14-4 run over the next 4:43 to take a 14-9 lead on Japhet-Mathias' lay-up. But the Pride answered with their own 10-2 run, behind four points each from Buie and Ray, to take a 19-16 lead with 10:56 to play.

After the Spartans regained the lead on five straight points from Washington, the lead would change hands three more times before Anigwe tied the game at 25 at the 7:14 mark. But Buie's lay-up at the 6:20 mark started an 8-4 Pride run that put the Pride ahead 33-29 with 2:11 to play in the half. San Jose State would answer with five straight points with Agee's lay-up giving the Spartans a 34-33 lead with 40 seconds to play. Hofstra's Coburn hit a lay-up 21 seconds later to give the Pride a 35-34 lead at the break. Pemberton had 10 while Buie had nine for the Pride. Lecesne led San Jose State with eight.

After a slow start to the second half, the Spartans took three point leads four times, the latest at 46-43 after a Washington lay-up with 12:23 to play. Hofstra answered with back-to-back lay-ups by Pemberton to take a 47-46 lead with 11:33 to play. After  San Jose regained a one-point lead, the Pride, behind two three-pointers by Coburn, went on an 8-0 run to take a 55-48 lead with 8:48 to play after a Buie jumper.

After the Pride boosted their lead to eight at 61-53 with Ray and Kante scoring three points each, the Spartans went on a 12-2 run to take a 65-63 lead after a three-point play by Knight with 4:36 to play. Three more lead changes put the Pride ahead 69-67 after Pemberton's three-pointer with 3:32 to play. It would be Hofstra's last lead as the Spartans went on a 10-0 run, behind three three-pointers from Washington, to take a 77-69 lead. Pemberton's lay-up with six seconds to play closed out the Pride scoring as the Pride fell 79-71.

Hofstra returns to action on Saturday, November 9 when the Pride host Monmouth at 4 p.m. For ticket information visit HofstraTickets.com, call (516) HOF-TIXX or visit the Hofstra Athletics Ticket Office in the lobby of the Mack Sports Complex. 

Notes:
- Wednesday's contest was the first-ever meeting between Hofstra and San Jose State.
- The game was a sellout with a crowd of 4,223.
- Pemberton led the Pride in scoring for just the third time in his career but posted his 29th double-figure scoring game.
- Buie led Hofstra in assists for the 30th time and tallied his 20th double-figure scoring game in his career.